Night World: Annie
by killerbee07
Summary: Mary- Lynnette is an 11 year old orphan, and Ash is the newphew of the millionaire who has taken her in for the winter holidays. Young love blooms and fates collide- read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

11 year- old Mary- Lynnette crept down the stairs, careful not to make a sound lest it wake Ms. Claudia, the orphanage 'mother'.

She clutched the make shift pillow case bag, filled with her few possessions, close to her chest and closed her eyes.

_This is it,_ she thought. _Tonight's the night._

She reached out, fingers resting on the lock, and smiled. She turned the lock and… _click_. Her hand moved to the doorknob and suddenly the door was open.

A blast of freezing, New York winter air swept past her and into the orphanage she so desperately wanted to leave.

Freedom was just in front of her. Just one step away.

A step she didn't have the chance to take. A bony hand grasped her shoulder and she spun around to face Ms. Claudia.

"What do you think you're doing?" The older woman's voice rang out. "Are you planning on going somewhere?"

"I-i-I was just-" Mary- Lynette cursed her inability to articulate words in front of the orphanage mother.

"Just what?" Claudia rolled her eyes. "Running away again?"

Mary- Lynnette bit her lip. "I was…"

"Hmmm, you were." Claudia grabbed Mary- Lynnette's wrist and clunked up the stairs that Mare had descended with such caution and hope only a minute earlier.

Claudia stormed through the door and into the main bedroom of the girl's. Arranged in rows were the beds of the seven girls who roomed with her in this wing of the orphanage.

She shoved Mary- Lynnette into the bed and grunted. "I'm letting you off easy, but let me tell you, you try something funny like this again and you'll wish you'd never been born."

Claudia sneered and walked back out, locking the door of the bedroom behind her.

"I told you it wouldn't work," A smug voice said from the corner of the room.

"Shut up, Keller." Mary- Lynnette grumbled. "I'll make it out next time."

"Sure," Keller said in a sarcastically cheery tone, "practice makes perfect, right?"

"Raksha," Hannah sighed.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry." Mary- Lynnette got the feeling Keller was rolling her eyes. "I'll try and be more supportive of her delusional fantasies."

"Fantasies!" Mary- Lynnette bolted out of the bed, outraged, and ready to take the other girl on.

"Yes, fantasies." The dim light filtering in through the window illuminated Keller, who was sprawled out on the bed like a cat. "Because you're never really going to find your parents. None of us are. They left us here, that means they don't want to be found."

"Would you two shut up," Jez growled, obviously still half asleep. "You've gone through this one hundred times before."

"Don't worry," Five year old Poppy, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as always (no matter the fact it was 3:00 in the morning) chimed in. "Next month, when Hannah turns 18, she'll adopt us all, and then we'll be free! We won't need to find our parents, then."

Jez snorted. "Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen."

"It's going to happen." Hannah promised. "I know it will be difficult, but things will work out. I'll make sure they do."

-0-

Mary- Lynnette had hoped at if she didn't gain her freedom, then at least she would be able to get a hint of sleep before Claudia got them up to work. But fate didn't favor her.

Only an hour later, an incessant tapping roused Mare and the tip toeing of one of the girls across the room had her fully awake.

She squinted into the darkness, then exclaimed, "Jez! What are you doing?"

"Shhh!" Jez hissed. "You'll wake the others. Just go back to sleep."

"What are you doing?" Jez was at the window now, and Mare gasped when she realized someone was balanced on the sill on the other side of the glass.

"Who…?" Mary- Lynnette breathed.

"His name is Morgead." Jez unlatched the window and the boy jumped inside. Jez was 14, almost 15, and beautiful. Mare wasn't surprised Jez had a boy sneaking in to meet her. That is, she wasn't surprised until she actually saw him.

His face was streaked with dirt, and his clothes were wrinkled. His hair wasn't much better. Mare could understand a _boy_ seeking out Jez's company, but a _streetrat?_ And Jez had actually _let him in_, despite the high standards she expected everyone to meet.

"Thank goodness," He complained. "Do you know how hard it is, climbing two stories up an iced building and then holding on? You took forever to wake up."

"Well, you woke up someone else too," Jez waved a hand at Mary- Lynnette, who was sitting up now.

"What's going on?" Mare demanded. "Who are you, how did you meet Jez, how did you get up here, could I be able to climb dow-"

Jez gave and exasperated sigh. "He hasn't even been here ten seconds and you're already asking him to help you escape."

Morgead grinned. "You'd crash and fall to your death if you tried going out through there. I've been doing this thing my entire life, you'd be a newbie. Plus, I'm more suited for the job."

"Why," Mare demanded, eyes narrowing, "because you're a boy?"

Jez make a choked sound of indignation. "Do you really think I'd let him in if he thought boys were better than girls?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Morgead shrugged. "I just meant it would be easier for me to climb up because it takes more than a bad fall to kill people like me. But for people like you…"

"People like you? People like me?" Mare gave him an incredulous look. "What world do you live in, 'cause I live in 1933."

"I just meant," Morgead stopped and pointed at his teeth, grinning.

Mare continued to stare at him. _What a strange boy, _she thought. Then, she speculated, he was perfect for Jez. Jez was always saying cryptic, seemingly insane things like that.

"Come on, Morgead, we don't have all night." Jez tugged at his arm.

"Alright, I'm coming." Morgead shot one last grin at Mare and then let Jez pull him to the door.

"It's locked," Jez said, and Morgead snickered. "Well," She prompted. "Unlock it."

Morgead bent down, and in a few short moments, the lock clicked. "Your highness," Morgead said, sweeping open the door with unnecessary flourish.

Then they were gone.

Mare envied how quietly Jez could walk, whereas her own feet couldn't stop tripping over nothing.

Her stupid feet that Claudia always seemed to hear.

Sometime after that she fell asleep, and when she woke to Claudia's whistle, Morgead was gone.

-0-

"Up and at 'em, girls," Claudia barked. "The laundry man should be here any minute."

Mare's vision blurred, then focused on the slim, well dressed form of Ms. Claudia. The dress was pulled tight in most places, leaving nearly nothing to the imagination.

Mare shuddered.

Nothing had changed; it was the same each month. Claudia was terribly conceited and flaunted what she had whenever any member of the opposite sex came near, no matter how old. Take the laundry man, Mr. Winfield, for example. He was 60 something years (A fair 15 or 16 years older than Claudia), and still she dressed like _this_ for him.

"Did you not hear me?" Claudia blew into her whistle once more. "Up and at 'em!"

Mare swung her feet over the side of the bed and pushed herself up. She wasn't the only one having difficulty getting out of bed. Jez looked twice as bad as Mary- Lynnette felt.

Poppy, however, was the absolute opposite of Jez. Jumping up and down squealing, "Laundry day! Laundry day! Will we get to see Mr. Winfield?"

"Yes, Poppy," Claudia rolled her eyes. "Mr. Winfield comes every laundry day."

"Eeeee!" Poppy, undeterred by Claudia's snide remark, jumped up on the window sill and peered out eagerly. Mare's mind shifted briefly to Morgead, who had climbed in that very window, then went back to Poppy as she laughed in delight. "He's here!"

Poppy rushed to the door and stood guard, waiting for the kindly old laundry man to show up- most likely bearing news from her twin brother, Phil, who had been stuck into a boy's home on the opposite side of the city.

"Mr. Winfield!" Poppy crooned with delight when the elderly man pushed his laundry cart through the door.

"Poppet!" He opened his arms and Poppy rushed forward to give him a hug. "Dearest, I was just visiting with your brother."

"You were! What did he say?" Her grin covered the majority of her face, squishing the rest of her features into oblivion.

"He said to tell you that he will see you in February." The old man grinned. "For he is being adopted by a family only three blocks down from here."

"Ahhhhh!" Poppy jumped up and down, screeching in delight.

"Poppy!" Claudia snapped, and Poppy's cries of joy faded (although her grin didn't).

"Well," Mr. Winfield said, getting back to business. "Clean sheets and clothes for everyone."

One by one, the girls filed forward, thanking Mr. Winfield for the new linens and disposing of their old ones.

When they were done, Claudia pulled the old man aside and began polite chitter chatter.

That's when Mary- Lynnette saw her chance.

She hoisted herself into the cart and burrowed under the blankets. She felt the weight shift on top of her, one of the other girls trying to better hide her, probably.

The cart jerked forward and behind her, Mary- Lynnette heard Poppy's voice through the blankets as it bid Mr. Winfield farewell.

**Hello!**

**Well, that's it for this chapter. I'm back at the concept of putting book characters into movies, and I've learned from my mistakes! So, hopefully, this won't turn out like PJO: Grease *shudders* That really went badly.**

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Jez tried, she really did, and she even succeeded to some degree. She didn't upright smirk, but her "I love you, Ms. Claudia" was laced with a defiant delight. The old hag had not yet noticed Mary- Lynnette's absence.

Claudia gave her a harsh stare through narrowed eyes, but passed her by.

"I love you Ms. Claudia," Poppy recited, filled with a different kind of joy.

"I love you Ms. Claudia," Hannah said very softly, and very respectfully.

"I love you Ms. Claudia," Rashel's voice was without emotion.

"I love you Ms. Claudia," Keller said, her tone a blend of Jez's and Rashel's.

Ms. Claudia turned to Mary- Lynnette's bed. She frowned, turned, looked around the room, and then her eyes settled on each of the girls. "Where is Mary- Lynnette?" She demanded.

A burst of laughter, sounding more like a snort due to Jez's attempted restraint, escaped her lips. She knew she shouldn't say anything just yet, but she couldn't help it. She desperately wanted to see the look on Ms. Claudia's face. "Mr. Winfield rolled her out with the dirty laundry," Jez kept her eyes glued to the orphanage mother's face the entire time.

First came the disbelief as the news hit her, then the surprise as it really sunk in, and the anger. At Mary- Lynnette for sneaking out, at Jez for breaking the news, at the other girls for not saying anything, and at Mr. Winfield for committing the final crime.

But no anger at herself. Claudia was never angry at herself. Everything was always everybody else's fault. Never her own.

Claudia rushed out the door, her heeled shoes clunking heavily as she tripped down the stairs.

"Jez!" Keller exclaimed from the window. "Couldn't you have waited for just another moment? Ms. Claudia's going to catch up with the van before it pulls away!"

Jez, along with the other girls, crowded around the window and peered out.

Sure enough, it seemed as if Claudia was going to catch the van, and Mary- Lynnette, when she tripped over the curb, her atrociously high heels catching in the space between the sidewalk and the street. Claudia tugged at her foot, screaming, "Stop that truck!" at the top of her lungs, but it was to no avail. The truck was long gone, as was Mary- Lynnette.

-0-

Mare jumped out of the bin when she heard the door slam shut, grinning in the metaphorical face of Ms. Claudia and every other obstacle who dared to challenge her throughout the years.

She'd done it. Despite all of the doubt from the other girls, and the ceaseless effort Claudia put into her imprisonment, she was free.

Now, how would she get out of the truck?

Mare searched for a latch, but finding nothing, decided to settle down for a while.

Mr. Winfield would have to stop eventually, and when he did, she would jump out into the wide world that awaited her.

-0-

Maggie Neeley surveyed her boss's office space. In the simplest terms: it was a pit. And in the middle of it all, asleep, head resting on his desk was Delos Redfern.

"Sir," She shook his shoulder, suppressing a smile.

"Hmmm," Delos turned his head. "Not now, I'm busy."

"I can see that, but perhaps your bedroom would be the proper place to finish your business." Maggie couldn't help the small, almost inaudible giggle that escaped as she watched him bolt up.

"What?" Delos asked, shaken out of his stupor. "What are you talking about. I can certainly not finish the transfer documents in my bedroom!"

"You were asleep, Sir," Maggie corrected him. "I was merely suggesting your bedroom was the place best suited for the job."

"I was not sleeping," Delos snapped at her. "I was writing up documents."

Maggie tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Redfern, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to take a break."

"I haven't time for leisure." Delos shook his head. "The factories are shutting down left and right, and all the bad press I'm getting is hardly a help. I must continue to work, or I may wake up tomorrow and find everything is gone."

Maggie smiled. "Well, how about this: you go upstairs and rest, and I'll get you some positive press."

Delos shook his head. "Never mind the issues with the press. I still need to tend to the documents."

Maggie gently took the file, encased the half written documents inside, and closed it. "You can finish the documents tomorrow."

Delos shook his head. "It's ten o'clock in the morning. I couldn't possibly sleep now. It's too light out!"

"That didn't seem to be bothering you before," Maggie set the file on the desk and looked into his eyes sternly. "Sir, you haven't had a proper night's rest in days. So, never mind the fact that it's morning, and go to bed."

Delos sighed and stared into her eyes for another moment, then shook his head. 'Very well, _Mother_."

Maggie allowed herself a small smile at that.

-0-

Just when Mary- Lynnette had finally given up hope, the truck stopped and the doors opened. Mary- Lynnette braced herself.

_It's now or never._

So, when the doors were finally wide enough, she sprang at them. Barely passing through the crack, she slammed right into Mr. Winfield.

They both tumbled to the ground. She sent an apology his way, for she genuinely liked the old man, and sprinted away from the truck.

"Hey, you!" A voice called from behind her. "Stop!" She glanced back and sucked in a gut load of breath when she saw an officer hot on her trail.

"Why me," She hissed under her breath. "Why now?"

Putting on a burst of speed, she wheeled around the corner.

The officer wasn't old or fat or particularly cruel looking, but his dark black eyes didn't exactly make him look all that friendly.

Mare shot around yet another corner, and rammed right into none other than Jez's sweetheart, Morgead. They were both sent reeling to the ground.

"Huh," Morgead said, looking at her calmly. "You got out."

"And I'm being chased," She shot to her feet and made as if to go around him, but his hand shot out and wrapped around her ankle, holding her in place.

"Go that way," He said, pointing to her right. "There's a truckload of officers trying to clear out loiterers the direction you're headed."

"Right," Mare started in the way he suggested. "Thank you," She turned and resumed full speed.

"You!" The officer called out again. "Stop this now, and the consequences will be less severe."

"Do you even know what I've done?" Mare called back at him, wasting precious breath that should have been used for fleeing as fast as she could.

"No, but I doubt you've been a good girl," He was gaining on her.

"And how do you figure that?" Mare yelled.

"You wouldn't be running if you hadn't done something." The officer answered.

Mare jumped over a pile of crates and slid under a parked truck, then out into the street.

Passing cars sprayed water on her, but Mare paid them no heed. The sound of their honking horns and screeching brakes were lost on her as she focused on the thing she'd done all this for.

Freedom.

Her parents.

A real home, at last.

Mare made it to the opposite sidewalk, then grunted in dismay as she realized the officer still hadn't abandoned the pursuit.

"Just give up already!" She screamed back at the officer.

The officer didn't answer this time, just kept running. Following his example, Mare turned and shot toward a metal staircase that climbed up the collapsing brick wall of an apartment building.

Climbing up one flight, she slipped through and out onto the concrete just as Quinn was halfway up. Forcing him to turn back and loop around the stairs, Mare gained herself a few seconds of lead.

However, these few seconds were quickly lost as she slipped and fell in a puddle of mud that had formed outside a shop that sold raggedy, secondhand clothes.

In her haste, Mare slipped again, and felt a hand grab her by the arm.

Just when she believed she'd been caught, a snarling mass of fur shot out of a shadowed nook.

"Ah! Filthy mutt!" The police officer grunted, flinging himself away from the dog as if it were something more than a sandy… wait.

It looked vaguely humanoid, but before Mare had the chance to examine the creature closer, the officer had beaten it away and had once again latched onto Mare's arm.

"Get!" He hissed, and the dog backed off, limping. It shot one last look at Mary- Lynnette, who was startled at the intelligence she found in its eyes.

It dashed away. Across the street, and around the corner. Out of sight.

She sighed and looked up into the black eyes of the officer.

"You're coming with me." He told her, and despite her efforts to get away, they made it all the way to the station without interruption.

**Ahhh! Thank you for all the alerts, favorites, and reviews! I really appreciate it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Mare scowled in the boy's general direction, but kept her head down and her eyes averted.

"Come on," He smiled at her. He was around her age, if not a little older with ash blonde hair and a stature that much reminded Mare of a cat. She'd disliked him the moment she spotted him, and she'd grown to hate him all the more since the officer had left her alone with him. "At least tell me your name."

"Leave me alone." Mary- Lynnette growled, impatient with the boy's pestering.

"I'll tell you mine," He grinned at her. "My name is Ash. Now you tell me yours."

"Leave me alone."

"Is that all you ever say?" Ash asked. "Because if it is, you must be pretty boring."

"Now, Ash," The officer said, entering the room, "if you really believed that you wouldn't be talking to her."

"I wouldn't, would I," Ash grinned and scooted closer to Mare. She, in turn, slid farther down the couch as well (in the opposite direction of Ash).

"I'm actually quite a flat personality," Mare told him. "If you are looking for an interesting conversation I suggest you look elsewhere."

"I'm not leaving you alone until you tell me your name." Ash crowded her against the rail of the sofa. "Is it… Natalie? You look kind of like a Natalie. No? Not Natalie? Well, how about…"

"Mary- Lynnette," The officer said, flipping open the file he'd gone to fetch. "Resident of the Municipal Orphanage, Girls' Annex, reported missing by a Claudia Anderson early this morning."

Mary- Lynnette glared at him. "I'm not going back."

"How old are you? 11, 12?" He leaned down and looked her right in the eye. "You have to be 18 to live on your own. I'm sorry kid, I know you may not like life at the orphanage, but you'll be 18 soon enough," He clapped her on the arm. "You'll just have to wait this one out."

Mare shook her head but said nothing.

"So, you're like, a runaway?" Ash said from beside her. "How did you get out? Was it a 'just walk right out' kind of deal or did you have to be sneaky?" His eyes got a wicked glint in them, a glint Mare definitely didn't like.

The officer scolded Ash, "If you can't be quiet, I'm going to have to send you out."

Ash shut up. Finally.

"So, Mary- Lynnette, I'm afraid we've reached an impasse," The officer smiled apologetically, then grabbed the younger girl and proceeded to load her up in the police car.

"Let me go!" Mary- Lynnette bucked against the seatbelt, but nothing happened. The seatbelt had a lock on it, and the only key was probably stowed away on the officer's person. "You-" Mary- Lynnette then called him every foul name she'd ever heard Jez call Ms. Claudia when the orphanage mother wasn't looking.

Every once in a while Ash would mutter, "Interesting," or, "Why didn't I think of that," but other then that, she was left to curse the officer in peace.

When they finally reached the orphanage, Mare had exhausted her repertoire of rude language. She'd moved on to seething in silence and glaring at the officer, occasionally performing the odd, rude hand gesture.

This officer was everything she despised. She had finally gained freedom, she'd had a taste of what the world was really like, and he'd snatched it all away. And what was worse, he really believed he was doing her a favor. He thought he was keeping her from a life on the streets, he thought he was saving her.

He thought wrong.

Now, it would be even more impossible to escape from Claudia's chains.

He'd killed any hope she'd had, and she was angry. Who knew when a chance like the one she'd taken would arise again? Mr. Winfield would definitely be more cautious after this, and Claudia caught her every time she tried to escape through the front door. Climbing out the window and scaling the building was a feat best left to Morgead.

The one opportunity, the one golden opportunity in eleven years, and this man had spoiled it.

-0-

"Oh!" Claudia clutched Mare to her in an unbreakable embrace that reminded Mary- Lynnette more of shackles than a loving hug. "Thank you officer…"

"Quinn." The officer smiled. "Officer John Quinn."

"Well, thank you officer Quinn," Claudia smiled. "I had nearly gone crazy with worry."

Jez muttered under her breath, "She lost her marbles years ago. And the cause was more likely loneliness than worry."

"What was that, Jezebel?" Claudia turned toward Jez, who was standing near the front of the pack of girls that witnessed Mary- Lynnette's return.

"I was just praising the lord." Jez smiled. "Mary- Lynnette could have been murdered or raped or become a victim of some other crime. We owe you a big thanks." She said that to the officer.

"Ah, well…" Quinn didn't quite know what to say to that. His eyes shifted away from Jez, and landed on Rashel, a striking sixteen year old who'd been brought in at the age of five.

They stayed there, drinking her in. No, _gulping_ her in.

Although Mare herself felt a bit disconcerted by the officer's intensity, Rashel didn't seem to mind. In fact, she stared back with that same _look_ mirrored in her own eyes.

Claudia, realizing her babbled thank yous were falling on deaf ears, snapped her fingers. Quinn's head swiveled back to her and Claudia smiled.

"If there's anything else I can do, officer…" Claudia's eyebrow raised in inquisition.

"No." Quinn turned to face her, sneaking one last, hungry look at Rashel. "That will be all."

"Of course." Claudia's smile grew. "I suppose you'll be leaving now?"

"Yes," Quinn looked away from her and back at Rashel. "Well, likewise, if you need anything… you know how to reach me." He seemed to be speaking more to Rashel then Claudia, but Claudia blushed anyway.

Ash, who'd followed Quinn and Mary- Lynnette in, turned to Mare and grasped her shoulders. "I knew you weren't boring. I knew from the very beginning."

Mary- Lynnette rolled her eyes and brushed off his hands. "And I knew you were going to be an annoying pain in my already exceedingly horrid day."

"Mary- Lynnette!" Claudia cried out. "Please, excuse her."

"Yea, she's usually quite cheerful," Jez put in. "I guess that laundry truck hit one too many speed bumps, if you know what I mean."

"Eh, that's nothing compared to what she said on the ride over here," Ash said gleefully. "You would not know how many new words I-"

"Laundry truck?" Quinn interrupted.

"Yes," Ms. Claudia said reluctantly. "Mary- Lynnette snuck out in the laundry cart."

"Has the board of orphans been informed?" The officer asked.

"Oh, not yet, but never fear!" Claudia gave them a forced smile and scooted them toward the door. "I will make sure they hear of this and do what they will with the information."

With that, the officer and the boy were gone.

**Yay! Finally, some Ash! He won't be coming in again for another few chapters, though.**

**Review, please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"You vile, despicable child!" Claudia shrieked the moment she was sure the men outside could not hear her.

"I thought you missed her," Jez sneered. "Worried out of your mind, weren't you?"

"You!" She wheeled on Jez. "All of you," she gestured to the other girls, "scram!"

They rushed up the stairs, stopping at the landing and peering through the rails down at the scene below them.

"Do you know what they must think of me?" Claudia hissed at Mary- Lynnette. "They must think I've raised you to be a savage. And do you know what the board of orphans is going to think of this? They aren't going to like it. I could loose my job, you little sneak!"

Before Mare could get a word in edgewise, Claudia went off ranting about another subject. "And what did that boy mean when he talked about what you said in the car? What did you say?"

"I-" Mary- Lynnette froze up, like she always did in front of Claudia, but it hardly mattered. Claudia had switched subjects.

"And all the other girls, they think this is hilarious," Claudia leaned down real close to Mare, close enough for the orphan to smell her 'mother's' breath, and said, "I will not be laughed at. Do you know how funny I think this is? I don't find this funny at all. I will make sure to punish you in a way that will make you wish you'd never been born."

-0-

Maggie took another look at the sheet that listed the address of the orphanage, then rang the bell.

A moment later, a woman swung open the door and smiled rather forcefully. "How can I help you?"

"Hello, my name is Maggie Neeley, I was referred to you by the board of orphans," Maggie started, but was cut off by the woman.

"The board of orphans? Well, I was going to tell them, but we only just found Mary- Lynnette!" The woman laughed nervously.

"Excuse me?" Maggie asked, definitely confused.

"Well, see, somehow Mary- Lynnette ended up in the laundry basket. Mr. Winfield rolled her out and somehow she ended up loose on the streets. Please don't fire me!" The woman explained hastily.

"Ah, I think you have me confused with somebody else," Maggie smiled. "I am not a member of the board, but merely referred to you _by_ them. I'm personal secretary to Mr. Delos Redfern."

"_The_ Delos Redfern?" The woman's eyes grew wide.

Maggie just smiled politely and nodded.

"Well, then, come in!" The woman exclaimed, opening the door wider.

Maggie stepped over the threshold and winced as the door slammed shut behind her.

"You really shouldn't have done that!" A redhead laughed from the top of the stairs. "Now she'll never let you leave."

"Jezebel!" The orphanage mother scolded. "I thought I told you to get back to your room."

While the orphanage mother, whom the papers proclaimed to be a _Claudia Anderson_, rushed Jezebel back to her room, a small girl who'd been downstairs at the time of Maggie's arrival leaned over and whispered, "Jez is right, you know. Claudia will probably hold you hostage for a ransom or something."

Maggie laughed nervously. "You're kidding, right?"

The girl looked deadly serious.

"Maggie," Maggie held out her hand.

"Mary- Lynnette," She had deep brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. She could've passed for someone of high stature if it weren't for the ragged, dirty clothes she sported.

"Oh, the girl who snuck out with the laundry, right?" Maggie asked, recognizing the name from her conversation at the door with Claudia.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Well," Maggie smiled a bit, "It seems as if you've caused Ms. Anderson quite a bit of worry."

"Ms. Anderson?" Mary- Lynnette wrinkled her nose. "Claudia wasn't worried about me; she was worried about loosing her job."

"Oh, well, I'm sure that's not true," Maggie placed a hand on Mary- Lynnette's shoulder, but something in the words rang false. Maggie's instincts told her the little orphan girl was right.

"Ah, well," Claudia said, coming back to them. "What was it you wanted, Ms. Neeley?"

"Mr. Redfern has decided to take in a member of the orphanage for the winter season," Maggie stated.

"I would be honored!" Claudia grinned.

"I meant, a child of the orphanage." Maggie corrected her.

"I _am_ an orphan, and I'm still quite young."

_Lie_, Maggie thought, but said only, "A child like Mary- Lynnette."

"I would love to go!" Mary- Lynnette exclaimed, then frowned. "Who's Delos Redfern?"

"Who's…" Maggie laughed. "Well, I think I've found the perfect child to take!"

"No," Claudia said firmly. "You can have anyone but Mary- Lynnette."

_Mary- Lynnette wanted freedom from this woman, she'd going to get it,_ Maggie thought, surprised at how much she meant the thought. "Ms. Anderson, if this has something to do with Mary- Lynnette's escape attempt, and you haven't told the board, then perhaps…"

Maggie trailed off, letting Claudia conclude whatever she would. "Fine," The woman snarled. "You can have her."

-0-

Mary- Lynnette bounced in her seat and looked out her window every five seconds. "I've never been this far from the orphanage before." She commented.

"Never?" Maggie asked incredulously.

"Never." Mare nodded. "The farthest I've ever gone was the fruit stand a couple blocks back."

"You've lived in New York your whole life and you've never seen beyond that rickety old fruit stand?" Maggie asked, still not quite willing to believe what she was hearing.

"Never."

-0-

Mare starred in amazement at the looming mansion in front of her.

"This… this was built for just one person?" she breathed.

"Well, the staff stays here too, but essentially, yes. This was built for just one person." Maggie clarified.

As soon as the car stopped, Mare was out and climbing the steps up to the front door. She stopped, however, when she saw the extent of how detailed the door was. It was fascinating to her. Patterns of gold swirled around and wove into one another.

"Who made this?" She asked Maggie when he secretary finally caught up to her.

"I don't know," Maggie confessed. "But if you are impressed by the door, wait until you see what's inside." With that being said, Maggie rang the doorbell and a nice looking man in a nice looking suit answered the door.

"Ms. Neeley, back so soon?" The man's eyes fell on Mary- Lynnette. "And with a friend, I see."

"Mary- Lynnette, this is the butler, David." Maggie introduced them. "David, this is Mary- Lynnette, Mr. Redfern's new guest."

The moment Mare entered the house; she knew Maggie had been right. The door didn't even being to compare to what was inside. Everything was just… beautiful.

Mare was afraid to even walk on the floor.

Maggie led the way around the house, pointing out items of interest and introducing Mare to members of the staff.

The tour stopped abruptly when a tall man with dark black hair and golden eyes entered the room they were in. The first words out of his mouth were, "I don't appreciate it when I have to go looking for my _personal_ secretary."

"Oh, yes, I am terribly sorry, Mr. Redfern." Maggie hastily apologized.

"Did you not realize I was having Mr. Descouedres over? Now I look like an absolute fool. There's no way he'll sign the lease agreement now." Delos sighed. Then he noticed Mary- Lynnette. "What is that?"

"This," Maggie laid a hand on Mare's shoulder, "is Mary- Lynnette."

"Why is she here," Delos demanded.

-0-

Maggie flinched.

"Mary- Lynnette, would you excuse us for a moment?" Maggie asked with a smile.

"Sure," Mare said quietly, suspiciously.

Maggie walked over to her boss and said. "A word in the hallway?" When they were out of the room Maggie turned to her boss and said. "Mary- Lynnette is your guest."

"My _guest_?" Delos hissed. "What is going on here, Maggie?"

"I promised to get you some positive press," Maggie reminded him. "Taking in an orphan is the oldest trick in the book."

"She's an orphan?" Delos asked.

"Yes," Maggie confirmed. "And she's only staying with us for the winter. When spring comes, she'll be gone and everything will be as it was."

Delos sighed. "Then I suppose I should thank you, Maggie, though I will have nothing to do with this child. And at the first sign of trouble, I want her out, I don't care how much positive press she gets me. Now come and do your job. Thierry and I need copies of last month's employment rates."

"Very well," Maggie nodded her head, and as he was leaving, she said, "Perhaps you could take Mary- Lynnette back to the meeting with you. She's never met anyone with a job quite like yours and I'm sure it would be quite an opportunity for her."

-0-

When Maggie came in with the papers, she saw a sight that made her want to laugh and frown at the same time.

Thierry and Mary- Lynnette were hitting it off quite famously while Delos was in one of his moods- the kind that would allow nothing but business to be discussed.

"The numbers," Maggie put the papers down on the desk and stepped back.

"Of course, thank you, Ms. Neeley," Thierry smiled.

After several minute of negotiating, Thierry signed the documents and the deal was made.

"Goodbye, Mr. Descouedres." Mary- Lynnette smiled up at the man.

"Goodbye, Mary- Lynnette." He clapped her on the shoulder and smiled. "Perhaps we can get to that Broadway show I was telling you about before it moves out of town."

"Oh, yes please, Sir," Mare smiled. "I would like that very much."

Delos leaned over to Maggie and whispered. "Are you sure we can't just let the girl leave with Mr. Descouedres?"

Maggie smiled. "She's our responsibility until spring."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Rashel shivered with delight, but she also shuddered with disgust. Her happiness tainted by horror.

Never had she felt this way about anyone.

Of course, the few men she had met were too old or too young, all ineligible. But it wasn't just that he was available that made this man special. She could pick him out in a crowd of one hundred of New York's finest, best dressed gentlemen.

And the way he looked at her…

But he was a vampire. He was a bloodsucking, parasite, one of the many creatures she'd sworn to kill the day her mother was killed by one of his kin.

However, she wasn't so sure she could carry through with this one, no matter how repulsive his kind was. Something about him was different. Something about him was… special.

-0-

Jez opened the window and Morgead jumped through. "Hey," He said, pecking her on the cheek.

Just a peck, never more than that. Jez knew Morgead wanted more, she knew he cared for her deeply. But Jez wasn't quite sure she cared so deeply about him.

"Hey," Jez greeted.

"So, I saw Mary- Lynnette this morning." Morgead said, prompting her to explain.

"Mr. Winfield unknowingly rolled Mare out with the dirty laundry," Jez grinned. "The look on Claudia's face was priceless. But it hardly matters. Some police officer caught her and brought her back."

"That stinks," Morgead commented.

"Yeah, well, maybe for Mary- Lynnette, but I was kept quite amused," Jez grinned. "The officer couldn't stop starring at Rashel, it drove Claudia crazy that he wasn't paying attention to her."

"Looking at Rashel _how_?" Morgead raised his eyebrows.

"I do believe we have the future Ms. John Quinn in our midst." Jez laughed (though very quietly).

"_Officer Quinn_ caught Mary- Lynnette?" Morgead asked. "She can't catch a break, can she?"

"What's so special about Quinn?" Jez asked. But before he could answer, she added, "And actually, yes, Mare can catch a break. Mr. Delos Redfern's secretary stopped by and is adopting Mare for a Christmas."

Morgead whistled. "I stand corrected."

"It's just for this Christmas, though. After the snow stops falling, she'll be back in here with the rest of us." Jez crept out of the room, Morgead hot on her heels. "So, what's so special about Quinn?"

"Nothing really, except he's extremely dedicated to ridding the streets of urchins, criminals, and anything else that 'doesn't belong'." Morgead shrugged. "I've had some pretty close calls. Plus, he's a vampire. An old one, some even say he was changed by Hunter Redfern himself, though that's probably just a rumor."

"Hmm," Jez grunted and lowered the steps to the attic.

Morgead had been her friend for as long as she could remember. When he'd been six, he'd found her sobbing on the ground, clutching the bodies of her parents, the victims of a vampire attack. He'd taken her in, much to his mother's annoyance, and she'd lived with them. When his mother ran away, they'd stuck together. And when Jez had been caught and sent to the orphanage, he'd still stood by her side, bringing news of the outside world as often as he could.

Jez hauled herself up and into their hiding place, the place they could go without fear Claudia would catch them.

"So, what's new for you?" She asked him.

"Well, Val's decided…" And so it went, them talking into the night.

-0-

Ash grinned as he burrowed deeper into the thick comforter of his bed.

At first, he'd been dismayed at being abandoned by his father to a day with Quinn, a 'family friend'. It seemed to Ash that Quinn was only called a friend because his father didn't want Quinn as an enemy, not because he genuinely liked the officer.

Ash had been wrong to dread it. Not only had he figured out a few new cheats at poker from the criminals down in the cell areas, he'd also met that girl. Mary- Lynnette.

She was interesting to Ash in a way no human had been before. She wasn't someone he would ever form a serious friendship with- he would probably never see her again- but he'd enjoyed her companionship.

It was with this attitude about new experience that lessened the dread over Ash's trip to his uncle Delos's to spend winter. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he thought, like the police station.

**Sorry for all the mistakes. I wasn't up for editing too harshly.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**

Ash walked up the steps of his uncle's mansion, not in the least bit impressed by the finery. To him, it was quite common place.

Jade, despite spending her whole life around such elaborate decorations, was just as enthralled now as she was every time they visited. No, it wasn't the house, she was just as enthralled now as she always was. _Every stinking minute of the day._

"Oh!" she squealed. "Is that a new vase? I think that's a new vase!"

Kestrel, who felt much as Ash did, sighed a weary, "Yes, Jade. I think that is a new vase."

Upon walking into the private living room, where all the entertaining board games could be found, Jade squealed even louder than she had during the trip through the house. "Is that a new girl? Did Uncle Delos have a baby?" She ran at the girl, who was now facing them with wide, startled blue eyes. "I have a new cousin!" Jade tackled the girl in a hug.

The girl screamed.

Maggie, whom Ash had only met a few times before, came bursting into the room. "Mary- Lynnette?" She called frantically.

"Right here." Mary- Lynnette called from underneath Jade. "Who is on top of me?"

"Maggie!" Jade launched herself from Mary- Lynnette to Maggie with one, energetic leap. "There's another girl! Is she yours? Did you and Uncle Delos get married? Why wasn't I invited to the wedding?" Jade's questions went so on and so forth, Jade never giving Maggie a chance to answer.

Ash, however, was not so interested in Jade's babbling as he was in the girl. "Hey, I know you!" He recognized her from the day before at the police station.

The girl's eyes narrowed. "Huh, I remember you too."

Ash grinned. "This is going to be a very merry Christmas."

"You know her!" Jade cried in despair. "Ash was invited to the wedding, but not me?"

"No, idiot." Ash rolled his eyes. "One, Mary- Lynnette's an orphan, not Maggie and Delos's baby. Two, there was no wedding."

"There was no wedding?" Jade looked up at Maggie. The older woman nodded her head. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jade whined.

"I'm sorry, Jade. I just couldn't get it in," Maggie knelt and patted the child's head. "But I promise you, when I do get married, you will be the first person I invite."

This seemed to please Jade.

"You're getting married?" A voice said from the doorway, seemingly stunned.

Maggie whipped around and shot up when she recognized her boss. "No, Sir. I was just saying that if I get married, Jade can come."

"Don't worry," Jade smiled that toothy grin of hers adults always seemed to fall for. "I'll make sure she doesn't marry another man. You just work on getting that ring."

Delos didn't know what to say to that.

"Well," Maggie cut in on Delos's stammered attempts to set Jade straight. "Ash, am I correct in the observation that you and Mary- Lynnette have already met?"

"Yeah," Ash grinned. "Yesterday, when Officer Quinn brought her in."

Mary- Lynnette looked as if she wanted to add something, but held herself back. Knowing what he did about Mary- Lynnette's opinion of him, the withheld remark was almost certainly uncomplimentary.

"Mary- Lynnette has a police record?" Delos's eyes trained in on Maggie. "Why was I not informed?"

"It just happened yesterday, before I brought her here. And it was nothing big." Maggie gave a forced smiled. "Honest. Not something to worry about."

Delos nodded slowly, gaze flickering to Mary- Lynnette, then he left, but not before saying. "I have a business meeting at five. You kids are not to make any trouble while the guests remain."

"Will Mr. Descouedres **(A/N: I swear, his name gets longer and harder to remember every time I need to type it) **be here?" Mary- Lynnette asked, hopefully.

"Yes, but you will not approach him until all business matters are taken care of." Delos answered.

"Yes, Sir." Mary- Lynnette bobbed her head.

Maggie followed Mr. Delos out, giving the kids one last look that read, _don't do anything stupid, be careful, have fun._

As soon as he left, Kestrel wheeled on Mary- Lynnette with a newfound interest. "You have a police record?"

"Like Ms. Maggie said, it's nothing big." Mary- Lynnette shrugged.

"If you're not going to tell her," Ash said, "Then can I?"

"No!" The orphan exclaimed and Ash grinned even wider than Jade had.

"You don't have to tell us what happened," Rowan said quietly, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "And I'll make sure Ash respects your wishes if you do not want anyone knowing."

Mary- Lynnette shrugged again. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, but it isn't very exciting either. Well, it was to me, but you guys can come and go whenever you want. It isn't like that where I'm from."

Kestrel proclaimed, "I still want to hear."

"Ok."

"Come on, then." Kestrel urged.

"Well, I wanted out of the orphanage, but every time I tried to get away, Ms. Claudia would catch me." Mary- Lynnette started.

"But, you did get out eventually (I'm assuming, because why else would you have a record), so she didn't catch you _every_ time." Kestrel pointed out.

"Yes," Mary- Lynnette said, annoyed at being interrupted. "I was getting to that. So, anyway, there is this man named Mr. Winfield. He comes once a month to collect our dirty laundry, so I snuck out in his cart. I got in when Ms. Claudia was distracted. She is a terrible flirt, even when she isn't really even interested in the man."

"Eww," Kestrel wrinkled her nose. "I hate grown ups like that."

"Totally," Ash agreed.

"Then I finally got out. I was on the streets all but five minutes before that officer caught me," Mary- Lynnette glared at Ash as if that was somehow his fault. "Ms. Claudia was just about to punish me when Ms. Maggie came and decided I would be the orphan Mr. Delos would take in for the winter holidays."

"So you're going to be here for the whole winter?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Mary- Lynnette told him. "What of it?"

"If we really are going to be living with each other for the next couple of weeks, I'm going to need something to call you- other than 'Mary- Lynnette', I mean. It's just such a mouthful."

"Living together," Mary- Lynnette sounded horrified, and rightly so.

"How about M- Lynn?" Ash suggested. "Short, sweet, and you'll know I'm talking to you."

"My friends call me Mare," Mary- Lynnette informed the annoying boy.

"Mare…" He thought on it. "I like it."

"She never said you were her friend, so you can't call her Mare." Kestrel rolled her eyes.

Jade nodded her head in agreement. She was never one to intentionally exclude someone, even if that someone was her brother, but Kestrel did have a point.

"I'm her friend," Ash turned to Mary- Lynnette. "Right?"

Mary- Lynnette hesitated, then said, "Not yet."

"'_Not yet'_?" Ash repeated. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Mary- Lynnette explained. "I don't know you well enough to say whether I like you enough to consider you a friend."

"Well," Ash crossed his arms. "That means Kestrel isn't your friend, either, right? You know her even less than me. You just met her today."

Mare shook her head. "I like her. She let me tell the story. You just kept asking questions and making assumptions, when we met."

Ash's mouth dropped open. "That's not fair!"

Kestrel laughed.

Mare shrugged. "You can still redeem yourself."

Ash scowled. "What if I don't want to redeem myself?"

"Then we will never be friends, and you will never be able to call me Mare." Mary- Lynnette answered.

He stuck his tongue out. "Fine. I don't need to call you Mare. I'll just call you Mary or M- Lynn or something. Anything that pops to mind, and that will be what I call you."

"You're a piece of work," Mare looked him up and down. "A spoilt piece of work."

Ash knew the next words out of his mouth would end any sort of positive relationship he might have had with the girl, but he couldn't stop them from bubbling up. "And you are a poor, parentless, unwanted little girl who can't even-"

Ash didn't finish. He _couldn't_ finish.

Mary- Lynnette's foot connected with his shin and he went tumbling to the ground. "You…" Ash couldn't think of a name vile enough for her, not even with his newfound repertoire.

She knelt down and said in a very slow, very cold voice, "What was that?"

Ash said nothing.

Kestrel smiled. "Come on, Mare. The best games are in the cupboard to the right."

Maggie walked in just then, surveyed each of the kids, then pursed her lips.

"He started it." Kestrel said in defense. "Mare was just finishing it."

**Hey there, sorry for the long wait! My computer privileges were revoked (and I totally deserved it, so I didn't sneak on to post this) :S**

**Actually, I remember writing this. I started it during a math test a few months ago, and then snuck some in french, then I got home and typed the rest of the chapter up. Sorry, I just don't usually remember where I wrote something, and I found it cool that i could, so i decided to tell you. I'll stop rambling and let you review (or go on to a different story, whatever floats your boat (but you not reviewing will make me sad)).**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ash didn't care, he really didn't.

It wasn't like he was jealous or anything. He didn't care that Kestrel was the one showing Mare all the best hiding places, and he didn't care that the girl was ignoring him completely.

In fact, he was so unbothered by it, he stuck around.

"And that's where you go if you want to sneak onto the roof," Kestrel said. "The cubby tunnels through the house. I think it's some sort of emergency vent." Kestrel shrugged.

"Sneaking to the roof isn't the only thing it's good for," Ash muttered, mostly to himself. "You can get a great view up maid Bunny's skirt when she comes to dust the rails," He nodded almost imperceptively at the stairs behind them. "Sometimes she'll bend over real low…"

He couldn't see it, but Mare was showcasing a disgusted scowl.

Kestrel was rolling her eyes.

"You're, what, Ash, 12?" Mare asked. "And how old is Bunny?"

"12 ½, actually," Ash corrected her, happy that she was finally talking to him, but covering the happiness with a snarky attitude. "And Bunny's 19. A woman."

Mare made a fed- up kind of snort in the back of her throat. "I can't believe you. You're so… ugh!"

"'Ugh', huh?" Ash grinned. "If you call me 'Ugh', does that mean I can call you Mare?"

"You already do," Mare peered into the old vent.

"Still," Ash bent as well and put his head next to hers. "It would be nice to have permission. You know what that would mean, right?"

"That you would be my friend." Mare sighed.

"Yup," Ash said, popping the 'P'.

"No," Mare shook her head. "And even if I did let you use my nickname, I could never call a friend 'Ugh.'"

"I wouldn't mind." Ash assured her.

"Still," Mare shrugged. "And besides, you forgot. I don't like you. You're annoying and self- centered. I wouldn't become your friend just to have permission to call you something."

Kestrel chose that moment to butt in. "Hey, Ash, if you're done being the third wheel, I think Jade needs help with that drawing of hers. You know how she can never get the hooves on her unicorns right."

Ash gave her a sugary smile. "You're more the artist than I, and so much more considerate. Why don't you give her a hand?"

Kestrel growled and shoved him away from the vent. "Come on, Mare."

Ash grunted as he hit the ground, then watched Kestrel lead Mary- Lynette into the vent. He sighed and crawled into the tunnel himself.

He'd finally gotten Mare to talk to him, and Kestrel had ruined it.

He drug himself through the hollow length of the passageway unil he hit… something. It was soft- and it shrieked.

The shriek echoed.

"Gosh, Mare! You're going to give us away." Kestrel complained. "I warned you there were spiders."

"That wasn't a spider." The acidity in Mare's voice told Ash she knew who it was, despite the stifling darkness. "Ash, I swear-"

"It was an accident!" Ash said quickly. "I kind of joked about it earlier, but I really don't care about girls' butts. At least, not _that_ much."

"Well," Mary- Lynette had collected her wits and was talking calmly now. "Next time you decide to face plant my rear end, remember: girls fart. They fart bad. I will not hesitate to unleash my wrath." That was a little something she'd learned from Jez.

"You what!" Kestrel hissed. "Ash!"

"I already said, I didn't mean to!" Ash repeated his earlier argument. "It's too dark for _even me_ to see anything, and I have the best night- vision out of all of us."

Kestrel sighed. "I guess, but if you do that again… Mare won't be the only one making you extremely uncomfortable."

"Can we just get to the roof already?" Ash was ready to move to a different topic. Sure, he'd made a few brash comments before crawling in, but he really hadn't meant to do what he'd done.

When they finally made it to the roof, Ash could pick out the remnants of a blush on Mare's face.

-0-

Maggie really didn't like the maid, Sylvia.

If it weren't for the maid's complete lack of actual cleaning skills, Maggie would have disliked her for her haughtiness about her flawless beauty. There was nothing wrong with being beautiful, but when you flaunted it around and used it like Sylvia did, it inspired an instant negative attitude in Maggie.

And, even if Sylvia was a decent maid and an ugly face, there was yet another factor that played into Maggie's dislike.

Sylvia flirted with Mr. Delos without shame.

She'd stick out her butt, she'd make her chest seem a little bigger, and smile. And those were only the physical things. The things she would say… they were not directly inappropriate, but when in the workplace, words like that were better left alone.

"Would you like me to get you some more coffee?" Sylvia asked, an open question to all the men in the room.

-0-

Mare was parked outside the room when the meeting finally drew to a close.

"I don't see why we're here," Ash groaned. "The men in that room are all the same. Rich, powerful, and they all have utterly flat personalities." _Well, the humans, at least. _

Mare sighed. "I'm only here for one person, and you don't even have to be here."

"I'm a true friend," Ash said, looking at the seat Kestrel had abandoned about a minute earlier. "Unlike my barbaric sister, I will stick by you."

"_Barbaric_," Mare muttered. "She was just bored."

Ash shook his head. "Well, whatever the case, she's left you and I've not. I think that entails some kind of reward… Mare?"

Mare sighed sharply, "In your dreams."

Ash leaned back in his chair. "Okay, I can wait."

Mare snorted. "Please, you can't last a minute without getting what you want."

"Name one time that's happened," Ash rolled his eyes.

"When you wanted to give me a nickname, and I wouldn't let you, so you started calling me whatever you wanted. When you wanted my attention, and you didn't get it, so you followed me around."

"I didn't follow you around because I wanted your attention," Ash said.

"Then why did you do it?" Mare challenged him to find an explanation.

Luckily for him, the door opened just then. Mare's head jerked in the direction of the high- up gentlemen streaming from the room.

One of which being the one she was looking for.

He was looking for her, too. He walked over and embraced her. "Mary- Lynnette!" he exclaimed, "I trust your first day here has been lovely."

"Oh, yes." Mare assured him, though she was thinking of Ash and his stupid way of getting under her skin.

"Hey there, Mr. D" Ash greeted the man. He had long white/ blond hair that was tied back into a ponytail. Thierry was one of his father's co-workers.

"Ash," Thierry greeted. "You've been keeping Mary- Lynette company?"

"Yes, sir," Ash replied, grinning at Mare.

"I can't say that company was welcome," Mare grumbled under her breath.

A small smile split Thierry's lips.

"Anyway," Ash said, pretending not to notice Mare's insult, launched into a hefty request. "We should take a trip around New York City. Mare's never seen it before."

"Never?" Like Maggie, Thierry seemed to have a hard time taking that in.

"What's so special about it?" Mare asked, then her eyes grew wide. "Is it all like this?" She asked, referring to the mansion. "If it was, I would think I'd have noticed. I mean, I looked out the car window on the way here, and it seemed only a little bit was like this, But, then again, I haven't seen very much at all, if New York is as big as everyone seems to imply."

"It is huge," Thierry nodded his head, "That's the wonderful thing about NYC. Everything is so diverse. It's almost impossible to see everything this city has to offer." Thierry had seen it all, though. Being alive for hundreds and thousands of years had promised him that.

Ash grinned at Mary- Lynnette, knowing she could not say 'no' now. She was naturally curious, and no matter how much she loathed spending time with him, she would not refuse.

She nodded- just like he knew she would.

**Hey, guys! Hope you liked it. It was definitely my favorite to write so far.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"You two be good," Maggie said, straightening the collar on Mare's coat. "I don't want Mr. Descouedres coming back with wild tales of misdemeanor."

Mare nodded. "Don't worry. We'll be absolute angels."

"_She'll_ be an absolute angel," Ash corrected with a mischievous grin.

"You will too," Mare stared him down. "I will not let you ruin this for me."

Ash sighed. "Fine. I'll be _good_." He sneered the word 'good' as if it disgusted him.

"You'll be good and you'll be happy about it." Mare's hands were on her hips now, looking all for the world like a stereotypical mother, though she was only 11.

Thierry chuckled. "No need for worry," He said, as much to Maggie as to Mare.

"Right," Maggie nodded and offered a crescent smile. "Don't stay out too late."

"Of course," Mare answered automatically.

"No promises," Ash said at the same time.

Mary- Lynnette scolded, "Ash!"

"Alright," He huffed, "We'll be back soon, like the _good_ little children we are."

-8-

Thierry was beginning to like the girl a lot more than he should.

Thierry had gotten close to humans before, and the occasions everything turned out okay were few and far between. But he couldn't resist. She was adorable and smart, and the word 'adoption' had entered his mind more than once.

But he'd resisted the idea. She was Delos's for the winter holidays, not his, he had to remember that. It would be bad manners not to.

-8-

Mary- Lynnette was astounded. "How can something like this even…" she shook her head. "How have I missed this? All of my life, and I never knew…"

Ash, however, was unimpressed. "I'm bored," he complained.

"How can you be bored?" Mary- Lynnette asked without taking her eyes from the window. "And besides, this was your idea, deal with it."

"We promised Maggie we'd be home early." Ash reminded her.

"We still have time." She shrugged.

Ash sighed and leaned back in his seat. "This might be the worst idea I've ever had."

"Now, now," Thierry said. "You're just not having fun because you don't _want_ to have fun."

"I would give anything to have some fun," Ash grumbled. "Believe me."

"Look out the window, Ash," Mare sighed, "and stop complaining."

-0-

Maggie flipped through the file. "Everything looks in order." She said.

Delos nodded. "Of course it is, I put it in there myself."

Maggie placed the file back on the desk and raised an eyebrow. "Someone's a bit snappish."

"Yes, well, _someone_ hasn't had a very good day." Delos jotted something down on a yellow legal pad.  
"And what made _someone's _day so horrible?" Maggie began snapping lids on the many cap-less pens scattered around the office.

"The usual," Delos sighed. "Long meetings, boring company, visiting relatives."

"Your nephew and nieces aren't that bad," Maggie collected the pens in an ornate, wooden pen jar. "Sure, Ash can be a bit… bothersome, but he'll grow out of it."

"Ash is the least of my problems." Delos grumbled. "Have you heard how piercing the youngest daughter's giggle is? Or seen how ruthless the middle one acts."

"Sir, Kestrel is eleven. I'm not sure 'ruthless' is the right word," Maggie said. "Ruthless," Delos assured her. "She takes after Hunter, the way most Redferns do."

Maggie sighed. "Well, at least Rowan is here to keep them all in line."

"Rowan," Delos murmured, nodding his head. "Yes, I suppose that is a stroke of good fortune. Though, I don't know how well she'll be able to do her job with that human orphan around."

"We're all humans," Maggie reminded him, puzzled at his word choice, writing it off as the fatigued result of a stressful day. "And I do believe she'll be more of a help than a hindrance." She chuckled. "You really should see how she handles Ash."

"One doesn't _handle_ a Redfern," Delos told her. "If he is going along with what she's saying, it's because he wants to."

"I don't know," Maggie shrugged, and left it at that.

-8-

Delos watched as his secretary set the jar of pens on his desk, the hint of a smile still on her face.

He'd slipped up bad- calling the little orphan girl a human out loud. But, as humans tended to do, Maggie had written it off. Thankfully.

He'd grown fond of her. It would've been a shame to let her go over such a little mistake.

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, my internet's been down.**

**Plus, every time I do get internet access, I've gone straight to the Sydrian fanfics. Have any of you read the Golden Lily yet? HATE how it ended, but at the same time, I know it would have been horribly OOC if it had gone any other way. Can't wait for the Indigo Spell!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

That night, Mary- Lynnette dreamed of her new world. She dreamed of the Broadway shows and the ice cream parlors and the hundreds of people. She dreamed of the traffic lights, the signs, everything she saw.

She never wanted to wake up.

Unfortunately, the time came.

"Where were you!" Kestrel shouted into her ear, startling Mary- Lynnette into jumping clear to the other side of the bed. "Ash said you went out with Thierry to see the town. Is that true?"

"Umm… yes." The remnants of sleep dissolved. Mare prepared to bolt, not sure what exactly Kestrel would do in reaction to the news.

"Didn't you think, as friends, it was your obligation to invite me along?" Kestrel seethed.

"Well, it all happened so fast-"

Kestrel shook her head, disgusted. "Or did you want to spend some alone time with Ash?"

"_What_?" Mare whispered. "_What did you just say?_"

"I can't believe you," Kestrel shook her head. "From other girls, it's expected. But I thought better of you. I guess I was wrong."

"_Did you just accuse me of having a crush on Ash?_" Mary- Lynnette said very slowly, very quietly. Very dangerously.

It was then that Kestrel realized she was wrong.

"Never mind." Kestrel said. "But seriously, why did you leave me behind?"

Mare edged closer, grabbed Kestrel by the collar, and pulled her in close. "Don't think, for even a moment, I would _ever_ like your obnoxious, deadbeat, pig of a brother. It's going to take you a lot of apologizing for me to get over that insult."

Mare let go and leaned back, surprised to see a hint of fear on Kestrel's usually fierce face. It quickly vanished.

"You want to know what I think?" Came a voice from the door. Ash, standing there, smiling.

"What." Mare growled.

"I'm a strong believer of 'He who denied it, supplied it'." Ash began.

"You think we farted?" Kestrel asked, eyebrow raised. "You are unbelievable."

"No, just listen," Ash said, coming farther into the room. "I also believe that saying applies to more than farts. I think, in this case, the only reason Mare is denying her little crush on me so persistently is because she doesn't want you to know of it."

Mare snorted. "You wish."

"No, really," Ash hopped up on the bed. "Admit it, you like me."

Mare rolled her eyes. "What in the world are you smoking?"

Ash grinned. "Kestrel, you said it yourself. Why didn't she invite you to join us?"

"I didn't invite her," Mare said through clenched teeth, "because I didn't know where she was, and my thoughts were clouded because I was excited!"

"Excited for what?" Ash leaned back on the bed, looking all for the world like a spoiled house cat. "A date with me?"

Mary- Lynnette was to a boiling point. "To see New York!" She hissed.

"Riiiiiiight," Ash said real slowly, still smiling.

She couldn't help it. She pulled back her fist, and drove it into his gut.

He yelped, "What!"

Kestrel's reaction was quite the opposite. She fell on the floor laughing.

-8-

Maggie walked in a moment later, hearing the loud voices, and stopped dead in her tracks. _Why did she always walk in at the worst possible moment?_

Ash, clutching his stomach and gasping for air like a fish.

Kestrel, in much the same manner as Ash, rolling around on the floor- but she had a smile on her face, unlike her brother.

And Mare, sitting next to Ash on the bed- looking unsure about what to do.

"What is going on!" Maggie demanded.

"She punched me!" Ash breathed out, most definitely in pain.

"He deserved it," Mare said quietly, flinching. Maggie had no doubt she was worried about being sent back to the orphanage for any bad behavior.

Kestrel just kept laughing.

"Why did you punch him?" Maggie came over to the bed, stepping over Kestrel.

"He was being cocky and arrogant." Mary-Lynnette answered.

"I was just suggesting that last night was more of a date than a friendly outing." Ash had stopped holding his stomach.

"That in itself would have been insulting, but I would have let it go," Mare said to the both of them. "But the way in which he said it!" She complained. "Forget any semblance of a civilized solution, as he was clearly asking for something more painful."

Maggie sighed. "Mary-Lynnette, apologize to Ash for hitting him."

Mare scowled and turned to the boy, quiet for a moment, then saying, "Sorry for hitting you."

"You should be," Ash told her.

"Ash, now you apologize to Mary-Lynnette for being rude." Maggie ordered.

"What!" Ash said. "All I was doing was-"

Mare interrupted his protests by clearing her throat, a smug smile settling on her face.

"Fine," He said through clenched teeth. "I'm sorry for implying you had any feelings for me."

"Thank you," Mary- Lynnette nodded her head.

-8-

Jade watched the three of them play. Kestrel and Mary- Lynnette in one corner, Ash in the other.

Clearly, something had happened. Something she'd been left out of, as she always was. They just assumed she'd rather play with glitter than regular people, and although that assumption _sometimes_ turned out to be right, she often got lonely on her own.

**Hey there! **

**Okay, so this is kind of random, but you know Rick Riordan (author of the Percy Jackson series)? Did you know that the Drew in The Lost Hero is the same as the one in Serpents Shadow? When I saw he had said that I was like: AHHHH! I _KNEW_ it! (Sorry, I just had to get that out. It made me really happy).**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Ash was upset to say the least. He really had hoped that Mare thought higher of him than she thought of Kestrel. He thought they'd be friends.

Then she'd punched him and any chance of that disappeared.

There were ways to regain her trust- and if not trust, than at least tolerance- but they all seemed too impossible to do on his own.

He could adopt her, he had no doubt she would thank him for eternity if he got her out of the orphanage, but he was only 12½. There was a 1% to 0% chance of convincing his father or Uncle Delos to do it for him, but Thierry might be willing.

However; Thierry- blast his stupid manners- would probably refuse even thinking about it until Mare's time with Delos was up.

Then, the idea Ash knew Mare would probably marry him for, but would get him killed by his folks: finding Mare's parents.

He'd fed the thought all night, turning it around in his head until it was fully cooked. Of course, he couldn't do this one on his own either, but he had a pretty good case to present to his uncle.

-0-

"Just think about it," Ash urged, "I know you only took her in for good publicity- think of how much more press you'd get if you found her real parents! And besides, you'd get her off your hands early."

"Yes, Ash," Delos sighed, "I'm well aware of the upsides to this idea- but really? A $50,000 reward? That seems a bit… expensive, don't you think?"

"You can afford it, I know you can, you're practically a prince!" Ash reminded him.

"These are tough times for the company, Ash." His uncle sighed. "I may be able to afford it now, but there is a good chance that cash will be needed in the near future." Delos gritted his teeth at that admission- but, as much as he hated appearing weak in front of his nephew, he hated being bothered by him more.

"Well, part of the reason these are tough times is all the bad publicity. Get some of the good, and your halfway back to easy street." Ash argued.

"Ash-" Delos, once again, sighed.

"Then, just lower the reward. $30,000 instead of 50,000." Ash pushed.

"Oh, fine," Delos closed his eyes. "Now, get out of my office.

Ash was more than happy to comply.

_Mission accomplished._

-0-

Maggie smirked as Delos explained his predicament. "And besides," he ranted, "why would he even care so much. It's not like they're best friends- he's known her for what, one day?"

Maggie let out a small laugh, "He's just trying to impress her."

"'Impress her'?" Delos asked incredulously. "Why would he want to do that?"

"He likes her," Maggie answered. "You can protest all you want- say Redferns don't get crushes, or whatever it is you're thinking right now- but it's true."

"And how would you know that?" Delos asked- thinking exactly what she said he was thinking. _Redferns don't get crushes- especially on humans._

"Just the way he acts around her, you know? Always teasing her," Maggie shrugged, "and that's a sure sign of affection in twelve year old boys."

Delos scowled. "I can hardly believe that. You just wait- he's only doing this because he wants her out of the house."

Maggie shook her head with a slight smile.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Thierry stood in the entryway of the orphanage.

It was an intriguing plan Ash had come up with, but no doubt there were flaws.

For instance, they needed to know all they could about Mare's parents, so they couldn't be conned.

"Hello," The orphanage mother, Miss Anderson, greeted him. "May I help you?"

"Yes," Thierry nodded.

"Then come in, of course." She grinned. It wasn't a lovely smile at all.

-0-

"So, you want information on Mary- Lynnette's birth parents?" She asked.

"Yes," Thierry nodded. "It would be much appreciated.

"May I ask why?" Miss Anderson wandered over to the file cabinet in the corner.

"Along with several associates, I am offering a reward for those who can prove themselves her parents." He said.

"Reward?" Miss Anderson asked, her interest piqued.

"A large sum of money." He answered. "$30,000 to be exact."

"Thirty thousand-" She practically choked at that. "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," He smiled. "It is Thierry Descouedres."

"Descouedres…" Her eyes widened, recognizing the name. "Oh," she gasped. "Well, I do suppose I could release some of the information in her file." She tugged on the child's folder and opened it up.

"Hmmm… Carter." She said. "Carter is her last name…it doesn't say much about her parents, though. They left in quite a hurry- leaving almost nothing about themselves… they did leave this, though." Claudia lifted half of a silver locket out of the folder. "It apparently belonged to her mother. Her…" she hesitated, "father has the other half."

"Do you think I could see those papers?" Thierry asked, reaching for it.

Claudia pulled it away. "I am sorry, Mr. Descouedres, but you'll need express written permission from the board of orphans if you wish to see her full file. This is as much as I can legally release."

"Could I at least have the necklace?" Thierry requested. "For Mary- Lynnette. I'm sure she would appreciate it."

Miss Anderson took one long look at the locket, studying it extensively, then nodded. "Here."

-0-

Thierry had been about to exit, had been eager to (the orphanage mother gave off an unpleasant vibe), when he saw the girl.

She was tall and willowy; her blonde hair pulled back into a loose braid. Deep grey eyes peered from a delicate, pale face, interrupted only by a light pink smudge on her cheek, which served only to enhance her beauty.

She was perfect. The epiphany of it.

She reminded him of…

It hit him. That was Hana. His Hana.

Suddenly, he wasn't so ready to leave.

The clearing of a throat snapped his attention back to the door. The orphanage mother opened it, clearly a sign of dismissal.

With one last look and a nod at the girl, he left, promising to himself: _I won't let her go this time_.

-0-

Claudia Anderson couldn't believe her luck.

A 30,000 dollar reward for that little brat's parents. And here she was, with a file stating said parents were deceased. Her mother of an unknown degenerative disease, her father of suicide.

Her brother was the one with the other half of the necklace, though Claudia doubted she could find the boy in time for the ingenious con she had planned.

It would hardly matter, though. If the rich man did in fact come back with permission to take the file, she would have a fake one all ready- written by her, suiting her purposes just right.

All she needed was a husband, and she had the perfect candidate in mind.

"Jeremy," She said into the phone. "Long time, no speak, little brother. I have a job for you."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Throughout the past couple days, Redferns had been trickling in from all over the country. Apparently, the family Christmas dinner was being held at Delos's this year.

There was James Redfern- small for his age, but incredibly sweet. With fluffy brown hair and cool grey eyes, he looked nothing like the average Redfern.

There was Thea and Blaise- who, although not technically Redfern's, had still been invited out of respect. (At least, that's what Kestrel said. Mare was only certain they were somehow related to the Redferns because of the way Blaise held herself- too similar to Ash to be anything but common blood.)

There were also a fair amount of adults, none of whom Mare liked. There was something slightly snobbish, slightly bratty about the lot of them.

However, they were impossible to avoid, especially with the family dinners old Opal Burdock insisted on.

-0-

"I bet you've never seen so many Redferns in your life," Kestrel said, in a not quite complementary tone. It was obvious she disliked more than one of them.

"Of course she hasn't," Ash rolled his eyes. "She hadn't even met one until she met me."

"I've met a Redfern before," Mare corrected him. "Jezebel Redfern, though she goes by Jez."

"Jezebel?" The man across the table asked. Bracken, she thought his name was.

"Yes." Mare nodded. "Do you know her?"

"I've heard of her," Bracken answered. "Out of curiosity, where is she?"

"Last time I saw her, she was still in the orphanage." Mare shrugged. "She might've been adopted since then, but it's doubtful. Every time a couple so much as looks at Jez, she cusses and dares them to touch her."

"Ah," Bracken nodded, as if that was no surprise to him. "What orphanage would this be, if you don't mind my asking."

-0-

"Hey, Mare." Ash called her over to a radio, tucked in a corner of the play room. "I've got a surprise for you."

Mare scowled. "What makes you think I'll fall for that?"

"Come on," Ash promised, "No nasty tricks. Just listen."

Mare sighed and walked over to the radio. "Okay. I'm listening."

The song that had been playing abruptly cut off and the radio host's voice took its place.

Announcing a _30,000 dollar_ _reward_ for Mary- Lynnette's parents.

"Ash," She breathed. "What have you done?"

"What?" He asked. "Don't you like it?"

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Yes, but…" She shook her head. "_What_?" She sat and leaned her head against the wall. "This is really happening." She pinched her arm. "This is really happening," she said again, this time with a bit more conviction. "And you did this?"

"Well, it's Uncle Delos's money, and Thierry is helping a lot too, but it was my idea." Ash said.

Then, quite unexpectedly, she jumped up. "Ash," she said somberly.

"Yeah," Ash said, unsure of what would happen next.

She threw her arms around him, buried her head in his neck, and laughed. "Oh, Ash, I could almost kiss you."

Ash grinned.

Mission accomplished.

_Beat that, Kestrel. _He thought in his sister's direction.

_She said_ almost_, idiot. _Kestrel scowled.

_Almost could mean yes,_ Ash reasoned.

_If I didn't know any better,_ Kestrel sneered, _I would say you have a crush on a vermin._

_ And if I didn't know any better, _Ash retorted,_ I'd say you were jealous. Just look at the attention she's giving me. _He wrapped his arm's around Mare and pulled her closer, just to rub his point in, _Why, I'd even say Mary- Lynnette has a new best friend._

"What just happened?" Jade asked, quite confused, as she had been paying more attention to her stuffed animals than to the radio.

-0-

"I'm sure Ash had told you by now?" Thierry asked Mary- Lynnette, later.

"Oh, yes," She grinned.

"I just want you to know, I talked to Miss Anderson yesterday." Thierry told her. "She couldn't release too much information, as I don't have access to the files (though I will soon enough), but she did give me this." He held out the silver locket. "She says your father has the other half."

Mary- Lynnette reached out to stroke the locket gently. "Really?"

Thierry nodded.

She wrapped her fingers around the chain and he let her take it. "Thank you," She smiled, then it faded. "Though, you really should get the actual file. It wouldn't be out of character for Miss Claudia to lie." Then, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the business man's waist. "This is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me. I cannot thank you enough."

"Well," Thierry let a faint smile of affection loose for the girl. "It was Ash's idea."

"I know," Mare said, then pulled back and shot him a toothy grin. "Though he's become a bit cocky. I'm afraid if I thank him one more time, he'll implode of self- admiration."

Thierry chuckled.

"I still have yet to thank Mr. Redfern," She added. "I'm saving him for last, because I know it will be the most awkward. I hardly know him, and sometimes I get the feeling he'd rather not have me here."

"He's not a bad man," Thierry assured her. "He just doesn't quite know how to act around children."

-0-

"Mr. Redfern, sir." Mary- Lynnette stood in front of his desk, a piece of paper beating her out for his attention. "I would just like to say," She continued, when he didn't look up, "thank you, for all that you have done to help me. It is greatly appreciated."

He looked up, nodded, and went back to his papers. When no answer was forthcoming, she left.

_Thierry was right,_ she thought, _he really doesn't know how to act around kids._

**Hey there!**

**Just wanted to let you know I'm going on a road trip and I'm not bringing my laptop so it is extremely likely there will be no more updates for 2 weeks. I am, however, bringing a notebook, so I won't completely slack off my stories!**

** - killerbee07**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Maggie seemed troubled, though Delos couldn't say how he knew it.

She was on time to work, she stayed on schedule, there was no looking off into the distance, no sighing- something just felt off to Delos.

Which was why, when he asked her if anything was wrong, she got away with "No, sir. Nothing at all."

-0-

Rowan didn't like what Ash was up to.

"Did you do this just to beat Kestrel?" Rowan asked her little brother. "Because I do believe Mary- Lynnette is under the impression you did this for her. That, perhaps, you care for her."

"Of course I care about her," Ash said. "I wouldn't want to beat Kestrel so badly if I didn't."

"But, what I mean is, did you do this to be nice," Rowan said that like she hardly believed it, "or to be able to rub this in Kestrel's face?"

Ash huffed. "I did it to prove I could be a good friend." He said, crossing his arms. "I kept messing up, and her opinion of me kept dropping. The bragging rights are great, don't get me wrong, but… it's not like I did this solely to annoy Kestrel."

Rowan studied her brother, then smiled. "Good. I like her. It would be a shame if you scared her off."

"Whoa, there. Don't go getting any ideas," Ash held up his hands. "She's still just a human."

"Yes," Rowan sighed. "Human."

-0-

"Ms. Neeley," Delos approached his secretary near mid- day. "I understand and respect your rights to privacy, but if there is something you wish to talk about…" He trailed off, leaving the offer open ended.

"Sir," Maggie gave a slight smile. "Thank you for your concern, but I am sure everything is quite all right."

Delos stayed quiet for a moment, then said. "I really would like to know. It is certainly not a bother."

Maggie hesitated, biting her lip, then sighed. "It's my brother. He went on this climbing trip a few weeks ago, and he should be back by now… but he isn't." She shook her head. "I'm sure it's nothing. I'm sure he's fine. He always is."

Delos studied her for a moment. He hadn't known she had a brother. In fact, he hardly knew anything about his secretary.

"Well," he cleared his throat. "I do hope he is safe. Let me know when he returns, will you?"

"Of course, sir."

-0-

Claudia smiled at her brother, then frowned at his most recent girl friend. A petite blonde in a skimpy purple dress.  
"Iliana," the girl held out a hand.

Claudia didn't shake it, but instead turned to her brother. "Jeremy."

"Claude!" Jeremy pulled her into a hug.

"Don't call me that," Claudia told him. "And don't hug me. You smell like wet dog."

"That's what I am," He grinned, referring to the 'incident' the year before, the one that had turned him into a werewolf. "So, what's this about a job?"

-0-

Jez knew she had to get it out, she just didn't know how to tell him.

"Morgead…" She interrupted his story about Thistle's quest for vengeance against Val. "I'm being adopted."

A moment of stunned silence. Then, "Adopted?" Morgead said.

"Yeah, you know, someone wants to raise me as their own." Jez said. "You know what the word means."

"But… by who?" Morgead asked.

"Bracken Redfern." Jez answered, the taste of his name bittersweet in her mouth. "He claims to be my dad's brother."

"But… it's been, what, twelve years since your dad died?" Morgead asked. "Why did this guy show up now?"

"He claims he didn't know I had survived the coup until yesterday." Jez shrugged. "I know, I'm suspicious too, but… what if he's telling the truth? Morgead, you know I hate it here, this might be my chance to get out!"

"But… will I ever see you again? I mean, does this guy live in New York?" Morgead asked. "Because if he intends to take you to some distant location, I'll adopt you myself, before he gets the chance."

Jez rolled her eyes. "He lives in New York, and besides, adopting me would make me your daughter." She scowled. "Can you imagine how weird that would be?"

Morgead laughed. "You would have to do everything I told you."

"You wish," Jez punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Just promise we'll still talk," Morgead said, "after you get sucked back into the Redfern family."

"You say it like 'Redfern' is some despicable cult," Jez snorted.

"Just promise me."

"I promise," Jez rolled her eyes. "I shouldn't have to say that for you to know it."

**Hey there!**

**Well, I am thoroughly embarrassed. This is the only chapter I have ready for you guys, even after 2 weeks. And even more embarrassing: I have absolutely nothing for Happenings of Hawthorne. The good news, though, is that I have a full seven chapters of a new story ready to post. I don't think I'll be posting it until school starts, though.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Mary-Lynnette thumbed through the file once more. "They're alive," She was grinning. "I can't believe it. I always thought they were dead or something, but they're alive!"

Blaise, who'd been over with Kestrel, playing domino's, stopped to roll her eyes. "So, what? That just makes things worse, in my opinion."

"How so?" Mary-Lynnette frowned.

"They're alive, they know you're alive, and they just left you at the orphanage- not once stopping by to visit." Blaise said.

"Maybe they didn't have the chance," Mare defended them.

"That'll make them doubly worse if they do show up." Blaise just shrugged.

"What kind of logic is that?" Mare demanded, growing upset.

"They wouldn't keep their daughter out of love, but they will claim her for money?" Blaise huffed. "Not the kind of parents I'd want."

"They won't be like that." Mare said, quietly; she saw the other girl's point. "Maybe they just couldn't afford to keep me, or visit, and they will be able to, now."

"Maybe." Translation: _unlikely_.

-0-

It was around noon when Thierry dropped by.

"Mr. Redfern," He greeted. "I'm sorry for the unexpectedness of this visit, but it is urgent."

"What is it?" Delos asked, preparing to hear about some factory explosion or troublesome union activities.

"It's about Mary-Lynnette." Thierry told him.

"Oh?" That surprised Delos. "What about her."

"I know she's hopeful she'll find her parents, but… the only people we've heard from are obvious fakes. And in the event we never find her biological guardians, well, I'd like to adopt her."

Delos paused. "She's human."

"I know that."

"Why would you want to adopt a human?" Delos wondered.

"I rather like her." Thierry answered. "I would never tell her of the Night World, of course-"

"She'd pick up on it."

"Well, I know, she is bright-"

"No, no, I don't care if she's bright." Delos dismissed that approach. "I mean, she'd going to be living with a vampire, a vampire with numerous supernatural responsibilities and contacts. How could she not uncover the truth? Even if she had the wits of a vermin."

"I will make sure to be careful," Thierry promised.

Delos was silent for a moment, then he shook his head. "What does this have to do with me?"

"I was after your permission," Thierry answered.

"Why would you want that?" Delos asked.

"Well, you are her current caretaker. I wanted to make sure you knew there was no intended disrespect" Thierry responded.

It still made no sense to Delos why the other man would need his OK, but being as tired of the conversation as he was, he gave it.

-0-

"I don't like how often he comes and goes." Delos complained to Maggie. "We're business partners, not old friends."

"He's here for Mary-Lynnette, sir, not you." Maggie reminded him.

"I know," Delos sighed. "But still. I don't like it. The sooner we get that girl off our shoulders the better."

"Sir, she's still a person, no matter how much of a bother you take her to be." Maggie scolded. "I encourage you to have a bit more patience, and show a bit more understanding."

Delos looked at her sharply. She'd grown bold in her time here, scolding him like that was not something his employees did. He knew he should set her straight, but… there was something about it he liked. Something about _her_…

"Of course." He cut off the thought.

"I'm sure they'll be heading out soon, anyway." Maggie assured him. "Thierry wouldn't want to impose any more than necessary."

-0-

Thierry watched the girl as she came down the stairs, a grimace weighing heavily on her face.

"What's the matter?" Thierry asked immediately.

Mare sighed and sat on the bottom step. Thierry went and dropped down beside her. She leaned against him. "What if my parents only come for the money, not for me?"

"No," Thierry admonished the thought. "Any couple who did that couldn't possibly be your parents."

"They had the strength and some sort of drive to abandon me once already." She reminded him.

"Times are tough, Mary-Lynnette." Thierry said, and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It may not show in houses like this, but the budget is tight. The only reason any person would give up a wonder like you is in the hopes you'd have a better life elsewhere."

Mary-Lynnette smiled weakly. "Sometimes I wonder why you became a business man. You could make twice the fortune as a counselor."

Thierry's eyes crinkled at the corners.

"So," She continued. "What brings you here?"

Thierry took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Mary-Lynnette, I assume you know the search is not going well. They are all most certainly pretenders, and there has not been a single mention of the locket."

"Well, yes," Mary-Lynnette answered grimly. "Ash told me something of the sort. But it's only been a day. Maybe my real parents need time to get here and fill out the application."

"True, very true." Thierry nodded. "But, if we don't find them-"

"We will," Mare interrupted. "I know that we will."

"But, in the case that we don't…" Thierry trailed off, then started up again. "What will you do?"

That gave Mary-Lynnette pause. "I suppose," she said after a moment of thought, "I'd have to go back to the orphanage. But that won't happen, because we're going to find my mother and father, and they'll take me home. Even if they are just here for the money, they can't be _all _bad. If I'm their child, they'll love me."

Thierry nodded, his courage abandoning him. He couldn't bear to explain to her it didn't work like that. He couldn't bear to tell her how unlikely it was her true parents would step up.

He'd save his question for different day. Asking now would only show Mare how much unfaith he had in this plan, this scheme of Ash's. And he couldn't bear to see the way she looked at him if she knew that.

**Well, well, here we are again. **

**Let's see… what to say, what to say…**

**I'm in the middle of Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. Have any of you guys read it? So far it is amazing, (don't tell anyone, but I'm liking it better than Eragon, and Eragon is (_was_) my favorite dragon story of all time). Excited for the Demigod Diaries, not so excited for school (which starts in 2 weeks. I got my schedule the other day and I have gym 1st hour, which sucks.) **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Rashel was sick and tired of that _mutt_ hanging around the orphanage, so it was with a severe determination that she slipped down the stairs, as quiet as a cat.

Pressing her ear against the door, she strained to hear the voices within.

"I say we go tomorrow," the werewolf was saying. "There's no reason to wait."

"The story was that we lived on a farm, Jeremy." Claudia snapped. "The announcement was only a little while ago. Poor people can't travel from the raggedy country to a rich city that fast."

"Well," squeaked an unfamiliar voice, "I say we go with Jeremy's plan. Some other con artist could snap the money up before we get to it, if we wait too long."

"No one's going to con their way to the girl." Claudia had a tone that much went with eye rolling.

"If we can, they could."

"No, Illie," Jeremy said. "We got tons of info they don't. We've spun the whole story in our favor. We'll get the doe, guaranteed."

"Wait," the girl, Illie, said. "Didn't you say some Redfern was a vampire, or something? Couldn't he smell you?"

Rashel frowned. Humans weren't supposed to know about the night world, but apparently, both these women did. And they were stupid enough to stick around one of its most unpredictable species.

However; she couldn't focus on that too much, as her interest in the so-called con piqued the moment they said her foster sister's name.

"Nah, I know how to cover it up well enough." Jeremy said. "Besides, we won't be in there long enough for much of anything to go down. We go in, get this Mary-Lynnette brat, and our fortune. Then we're out. Easy as that."

Rashel pulled away from the keyhole. They were planning to scam, not only Delos Redfern (the leech) out of his money, but Mary-Lynnette's chance at a real, loving family.

She backed away from the door, knowing if she stayed much longer her scent would grow strong enough to leak into the next room, and the werewolf would find her out.

She crept back up the stairs and into the bedroom.

She sighed.

What to do, what to do…

-0-

Maggie looked outside, at the many people camped out on the street behind the gate.

"I don't suppose I get the weekend off, do I?" She sighed.

"I don't think that will be possible. In addition to the unexpected workload, there is a strong possibility of being mobbed by desperate hopefuls." Delos replied from his desk. "Do not worry, though. You will be compensated for your extra hours, and I will provide you with a room, food, and fresh clothes."

"That's very generous of you. Thank you, sir."

"Of course." Delos scratched his signature onto one final document and slid it into a manila folder. "Five copies, please." He held it out.

She strode forward and took it. "Right away, sir."

Maggie hesitated at the door. "Sir, you are aware this Saturday is Christmas eve, aren't you?"

"How could I forget, with all these unwelcome relatives to remind me." He complained.

"Well, it's just…" Maggie raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you going to decorate?"

"Decorate?" Delos asked. "Why would I do that?"

"That's what people generally do around Christmas time." Maggie said. "They put up a tree, and wreaths, and set out cookies. I do believe it was what your guests were expecting."

Delos frowned. He clearly did not understand what she was saying, as he often didn't when she mentioned something more social than logical, and gave an: "Oh. See to it."

Maggie nodded, then left to make the copies, wondering what kind of a home Delos had grown up in to end up so naive of holiday customs.

-0-

Mary-Lynnette starred at the handwriting on the sheet of paper.

Cursive.

Blue ink.

The i's were heavily dotted.

This was not the script of her parent's.

She closed her eyes and leaned back. "It's no use." She groaned.

"I agree wholeheartedly." Ash said. "Why don't you just accept Thierry's offer and forget this whole birth-parent thing?"

"Thierry's offer? What offer?" Mare said without opening her eyes.

"The one where he adopts you and we live happily ever after as next-door-neighbors." Ash replied.

Mare sat up slowly. "Thierry never made that offer."

"He didn't?" Ash asked. "Huh. Well, he's going to."

Mary-Lynnette frowned. "Stop joshing me, Ash."

"I'm not kidding!" Ash protested, crumpling another form and tossing it into the already blazing fire. "I overheard him ask Uncle Delos if, after your stay with him ended—"

"Overheard?" Mare rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, _overheard_. I happened to be in a nearby vent and heard them talking." Ash said. "He really wants to adopt you. I'm not fooling around, I promise."

Mare shook her head. "That offer's too good to be true."

Just then, the door opened. "Look, there's Thierry, we'll settle this right now." Ash picked up a giant pile of forms, addressed to Delos, from Mary-Lynette's 'parents'.

"Settle what," The business man asked.

"Don't you want to adopt Mary-Lynnette?" Ash prompted.

Thierry looked startled, opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"I told you he doesn't want that," Mare said. She'd known Ash couldn't possibly be telling the truth, but she couldn't help but feel a tad disappointed now that she knew for sure.

"No." Thierry said. "I mean, yes, I would like that. But I wasn't going to ask until we were certain your parents hadn't showed up. I didn't want to appear…rude." He finished, trailing off somewhat.

Mare was silent for a moment. She looked at Ash, the large stack of what was surely a pile of lies cradled in his arms. Then, "Does the offer still stand? Right now?"

"Well, yes, I suppose." Thierry said.

"Then, yes. I would like you to adopt me." Mare looked him straight in the eyes.

"I… You're certain you would like to cancel the search? You're certain this is what you want? You're certain—"

"Yes. I'm certain."

A burst of heat and light swept across Mare's face, and she looked over to find Ash had thrown the papers in the large fireplace. Than another stack. Than another.

Until the forms were all gone.

**Holy crap, guys, I am SOOO sorry for taking so long!**

**First off, of course, school. Secondly: my internet connection has been out of wack lately, and I don't expect the problem to be solved anytime soon, so it may be another long while before the next update. Sorry!**

**Let's see… I just started the Harry Potter series. I've never read it before (and yet I claim to be a reader. Preposterous, I know.) so we'll see how that goes :D **

**Definitely going to be posting that new story soon, plus I started writing a TMI story (haven't posted it yet, though) so please stay tuned and check those stories out when I put them up.**

**Anyway, PLEASE REVEW!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Look," Rashel said, getting annoyed, "you're close to the Redferns, right? Well, they're about to get scammed."

"You've presented very little evidence," Officer Quinn replied, looking bored.

"A witness account is 'very little evidence'?" Rashel asked.

"You're no ordinary witness." He shrugged. "You're an orphan. I've had more than one case started by the claims of an orphan, who just made up some story for attention."

"I'm not out for attention," Rashel pronounced the words very clearly. "Mark my words, one of these days, a couple is going to come strolling into Delos Redfern's house with a story that matches the file exactly—"

"—and what if they _are_ her real parents?" Quinn asked. "Maybe you misheard."

"I didn't mishear," Rashel gritted her teeth. "And if the man smells like wet dog, and the woman looks like she just ate a particularly sour lemon, then you'll know I was telling the truth."

"I've met the woman; I think I'd recognize her." Quinn reminded Rashel. "It won't matter, anyway."

"Why not." She demanded.

"Thierry plans on adopting the girl. He's asked, and she's agreed." Quinn told her. "They canceled the search earlier this evening."

"Claudia won't sign for the adoption." Rashel said immediately. "If she finds out Mare's being adopted, she'll just act sooner. She's dead set on getting that money."

Quinn said nothing.

"Please," Rashel couldn't believe she was begging with a vampire. "You have to believe me."

"Look," Quinn leaned forward. "Get me the 'real' file, and maybe I can do something. If Miss Anderson won't sign for the adoption, arresting her for fraud will get you a new orphanage mother. But I can't do anything until I have material proof or a reliable statement."

Rashel nodded. "I'll get it."

-0-

Keller watched as Rashel snuck back in through the cracked window.

"Out again?" She asked.

Rashel's head snapped up. "Yeah."

"Hunting?" Keller uttered the word with disgust.

"Don't look at me like that." Rashel's eyes narrowed. "And no, actually, I wasn't hunting tonight."

Rashel passed by Jez's empty bed (Jez had left with her Uncle earlier that day) and slid into her own.

"Then what were you doing?" Keller wondered.

"I went to the police station." Rashel turned to face her.

"The one with that vamp for chief officer?" Keller sounded genuinely curious. "Why?"

"Yeah, that one." Rashel scowled. "Finally found out what that mutt was doing around here."

"Yeah?" Keller was in no way inclined to defend the werewolf, she'd seen enough of him that she knew she didn't like him, but the offhand way in which Rashel always degraded Night Worlders got on Keller's nerves.

"He's Claudia's brother." Rashel said. "Claudia put together an entirely fake story and they're planning an elaborate scam. The only problem is Mare's already given up the search. The Thierry Descoudres man is planning on adopting her."

"But Desoudres is a vampire. Couldn't he just smell Jeremy and know what he is?" Keller wondered.

"He says he can mask his scent."

Keller gave a low whistle, then frowned. "And you're trying to stop this?"

"Yes." Rashel said. "Why is that a question?"

"You'd rather Mare be adopted by a bunch of 'leeches' then be kept here with Claudia?" Keller asked.

Rashel sighed. "One step at a time." She explained. "Get rid of Claudia, help Mare escape the parasites."

"So, you're not going to let her stay with them?" Keller shook her head. "But, what if she likes it there?"

"You think they're going to treat her like a daughter?" Rashel scowled. "All they want is food and cruel fun. That's all they ever want."

"Look," Keller said. "I owe the Night World nothing, they've never done a damn thing to help me, not when I was on the streets, or stuck in-between forms, but maybe they aren't all bad. I mean, Thierry isn't a Redfern, and going through the adoption process seems a bit extensive for a bit of 'cruel fun'."

"They have a twisted sense of humor." Rashel said, her green eyes burning through Keller.

"So, what are you going to do to stop this?"

"The leech said he needed Mare's original file, Claudia faked the one she handed over, so first I have to get that."

"Tomorrow," Keller shrugged. "If we can get the file to the police station, then Claudia will be arrested, and we won't be punished for breaking into her office."

Rashel nodded. "Tomorrow, then."

-0-

Lupe stepped up to the faded green door of the orphanage, papers clutched in her hands.

The door swung open. "Yes?"

"Hello," Lupe extended a hand. "You must be Miss Anderson."

"Yes." She pursed her lips. "Can I help you?"

"Personal secretary to Mr. Thierry Des—" Suddenly, her hand wasn't out in open air anymore, but clasped by the other woman's bony hand.

"How can I help you?" She asked more kindly.

-0-

Lupe slid the documents across the desk. "There are, of course, other documents. These are just the base papers needed. I expect I can swing by later with the rest of them."

"He…" Miss Anderson chocked. "He wants to adopt her?"

"Yes." Lupe answered calmly.

"So… the search is no longer…"

Lupe shrugged. "I suppose if Mary-Lynnette's birth parents show up before the last documents are signed, they would stand a chance of getting her."

"And the money?" Claudia squawked.

"That too," Lupe answered, and slid the paper farther across the desk.

Claudia took up the pen. "Of course." Seeming to get a hold of herself.

-0-

Keller and Rashel, who'd been listening, traded a look.

"We're going to have to step it up." Rashel whispered under her breath.

"Definitely."

-0-

Claudia picked up the phone, after the secretary had been ushered out.

"Jer, get over here, we've got a problem."

**Hi! Sorry for the wait. I do have a valid excuse, but I'll spare you the hassle of reading it.**

**Believe it or not, only one more chapter, then the epilogue, then we're done! Unless I'm mistaken, this will be the first story I've ever finished. **

**Also: on the fith HP book! Wow, Harry got moody. Every other chapter he's yelling at someone for something. :D**

**Anyway, please review! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Now, I want you all to be very good for Miss…" Claudia trailed off and glanced at the woman next to her. "This woman."

Claudia was dressed so strangely, she was almost unrecognizable. "She wouldn't go today." Keller breathed. "It's only been an hour."

"Well, this isn't the sort of thing you leave till last minute." Rashel shook her head.

"Still, you'd think she'd wait for tomorrow."

"You realize what this means, right?" Rashel said with dread.

"What?"

"We're not going to get that file to Officer Quinn before Claudia gets custody of Mare. Not unless you run through New York, full-speed in panther form." Rashel explained.

Keller cursed under her breath and the two watched as Claudia and her brother headed towards the door.

"Distract her." Keller said suddenly. "Do whatever it takes to slow her down." They heard the start of an engine outside.

"So, girls," the woman smiled. "What do you want to do?"

"Let's go for a walk." Rashel said suddenly.

"Claudia said not to let you girls out." The woman gave a sugary smile. "She said you were tricky little brats, and to keep an eye on you."

Keller was sneaking up behind her, closer, closer… pressure point. The woman dropped.

Gillian screamed.

"What did you do that for!" Poppy exclaimed. "I don't like her either, but—"

"Come on," Rashel made a split second decision. "We need to slow down Claudia's car. She's on her way to get Mary-Lynnette. She's gonna try and con Delos Redfern."

"Do you know how far fetched that sounds?" Gillian squeaked. "Rashel, this isn't funny, Claudia's going to kill us."

"She's telling the truth," Keller pitched in, while trying to pick the lock to Claudia's office. "They spun the whole story in their favor, and they're going to act it out. By the end of the day, they'll have both Mare and the money."

"But…" Poppy shook her head. "That's cheating! Claudia's not Mare's real mom!"

"Which is why we need to slow the car down!" Rashel jogged to the door. "Now, come help me!"

"I'll get the file to Officer Quinn." Keller finally sprang the lock on the door.

-0-

Mare grinned down at the paper with Claudia's signature.

"I can't believe it," Mare breathed. "I'm about to be adopted."

Blaise, who disapproved of the whole matter thoroughly, sidled up to Thierry and whispered, "You don't really mean it, do you? You're just going to eat her, right? Because, I mean, she's vermin."

"I know perfectly well she is human." Thierry assured her. "And I fully intend to raise her properly."

"But… the council will have you're head!" Blaise exclaimed. "There's no way she won't eventually find out about us."

"I will tread careful, and I'm sure I can handle the council." Thierry told her.

Suddenly, the door opened, and David, the butler, stepped in. "Ummm… sir… there's a couple outside. And, well… they have the locket and everything."

Thierry froze, as did Mare.

"Oh," He said. "Well, I suppose we should talk to them."

A moment later, Thierry was standing in front of a woman with a veiled face, and a man who smelled strongly of cologne.

Mare stepped forward. "Mom?" She said quietly.

-0-

Ash burst into the room. He looked around, his glare settling on the couple in the middle. "I don't believe it."

"Ash," Mare put her hands on her hips.

"Now, Ash," Thierry chided at the same time.

"This is just..." Ash shook his head. "Way too weird."

"Ash, they have the locket." Mare said. "It matches."

Ash walked over to Mare. "But… you're not leaving. We're going to be neighbors."

Mare shook her head. "Ash, they have the right story. It all fits."

"I promised Mary-Lynnette if her real parents turned up…" Thierry trailed off, looking at Ash sadly.

"But… you don't have to go with them! You can choose Thierry!" Ash took another step toward Mare.

"They came back for me, Ash." Mare whispered.

Ash turned his gaze once again to the couple in the middle, and took in a deep breath. "She smells like that orphanage mother of yours." He said finally.

"Ash." Mare rolled her eyes.

"She does!" Ash exclaimed. "Thierry, you smell it too, don't you?"

"Ash." Blaise said sharply.

"If you can't be happy for me, then I don't want you in here." Mare said angrily.

At that moment, a sob broke out from the man and all eyes turned towards him. "I just…" He shook his head. "I was just wondering if I could give my daughter a hug."

Mare stepped forward, into his open arms, and winced. He smelled horrid, and something about the way his arms wrapped around her… _Oh, God,_ she thought,_ I don't like the feel of my own father's hugs._

"Oh, well, I suppose we shouldn't impose," said the woman into a handkerchief. "Now that we have our daughter, we'll be off."

"Yes," The man agreed, standing up, his hands resting on Mare's shoulders. "Good-bye, now."

"Wait," Thierry said. His voice sounded a bit rough. "I don't know your names." He pulled something out of his pocket.

"Louise Allen," Said the woman.

"John Allen." Said the man.

Thierry scribbled something on the pad, then ripped stuck a rectangle of paper out for John. "The promised money."

"Oh," John said. "Oh, yes, of course. How did we forget?"

He stepped forward, and as he grabbed the check, Ash could swear he saw a flicker of a smile on the man's lips.

"No!" Ash cried as it finally, _really _sank in, and he tackled Mary-Lynnette in a hug. "You can't just leave!"

"Oh, Ash," Mare put her arms around him as well. "I'm sure the Allen's will let me visit, won't you?" She looked up at 'Louise'. Then, she added almost hesitantly, "Mom?"

"Ah, well," The woman reached as if to separate Ash from Mare, then drew her hand back. "We'll see what we can do."

"She's lying!" Ash's cry was muffled in Mare's hair.

"We really should be going." 'John' said. "Come on, dear."

Mare released Ash, but Ash wouldn't release her, settling for keeping one hand on hers on the walk to the front doors. "They aren't going to let you see me. You're going to be stuck with that Claudia woman and some man who smells funny."

Mare shoved Ash away completely. "I told you! If you aren't going to be happy for me, then I don't want you here!"

"How can I be happy for you when you are going away with them!" Ash jabbed an angry finger at the Allen's as they walked into the entrance hall.

Mare's response was cut off by a flustered looking David. "Um, sir, Mr. Descoudres. There is a group of girls outside the door, demanding to see Mary-Lynnette."

"Oh," Mare gave a slight smile. Her first one since the Allen's had arrived. "Those might be the girls from the orphanage. I don't know how they found out about this so fast though," Mare shook her head.

Louise grabbed her by the shoulder when she made as if to go out the door. "Let's just go out a back exit, then."

"What?" Mare looked up at her 'mother'. "I don't get to say goodbye to them?" She asked.

"We'll be late for the train." John said, backing up Louise.

Then, the door burst open, and the officer that had caught her the day she'd escaped stormed in, a winded looking Keller trailing behind him.

He stopped in front of the Allen's. "Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to lift your veil."

"What!" Louise's fingers fluttered to her face. "Why?"

"New evidence has come to light, that you may not be who you claim to be." Quinn gave her a cold, hard stare. Then he turned to face Thierry. "I assume they are here for the girl?"

"Yes," Thierry answered, looking politely confused.

"And they brought the necessary documents? Birth certificates—"

"What is going on here?" Delos stormed into the room. "Why are all these strangers in my home?"

"Yes, they did present several papers." Thierry confirmed, ignoring Delos.

"Oh, this is about the girl, isn't it?" Delos shook his head. "Why can't you have these meetings in your own home?"

With the distraction of and angry Delos, Louise was quite unprepared for the slinking Rashel who'd snuck up behind her and yanked her veil off, much in the catlike manner Keller had snuck up and rendered Iliana unconscious back at the orphanage.

Keller, who lay on the floor, breathing in gulps of air like she'd never tasted oxygen before, let out a short giggle-gasp before clutching at a stitch in her side.

"_Claudia_!?" Mare gasped.

"Right," Quinn said, whipping out his handcuffs.

"Please, no!" Claudia backed away, looking around wildly. "He made me do it!" She pointed suddenly at the man, still unidentified, but most definitely not John Allen. "He's not human! He made me do it!"

"Claude!" The man exclaimed. "What are you jabbering about!"

"Doesn't matter whether or not he's human," Quinn said, quite unperturbed, and forced a second pair of handcuffs on the man.

It may have been her imagination, but Mare could swear she saw a wave of fur ripple across the surface of his skin a moment before Quinn knocked him out cold.

"Now, are you going to come willingly?" Quinn asked Claudia. "We're just going down to the station. The evidence will be presented there and you will be given a fair trial."

Claudia whimpered, then followed Quinn out the door, sending one last nasty look at Mary-Lynnette, and scowled at several of the girls from the orphanage who'd aided Rashel in the slowing of the car.

"I thought you weren't going to make it here in time," Rashel said after a moment of silence.

"Well… maybe if... you had… done a better… job… slowing… her … down," Keller said, her retort interrupted by heavy gasps. "And you," she looked at Mare, "had… better be… grateful… to the… ends… of the … Earth!"

"Oh, I am," Mare said weakly, staring after Claudia. She opened her mouth, closed it, then: "How did I not recognize her?"

"Well, I don't know," Ash told her, "but maybe you should thank the person who did, and tried to warn you."

She elbowed him in the gut.

-0-

Mare walked through the next few days as if in a haze.

The orphanage girls stayed in Thierry's house while the new orphanage mother was being hired, but Mare barely noticed their presence.

The kids from Delos's house visited one day, and Mare saw Poppy defending a fluffy haired James against Blaise.

Jez came to see her once, though truth be told, Mare didn't remember most of what they'd talked about.

Ash stopped by more than warranted, updating her on Claudia's case. Apparently the wench had been sentenced to five years in prison for fraud. Ash never said what happened to the man who'd been with her, though Rashel told her it had been Claudia's brother.

Rashel… she'd seemed tense the past few days, jumping at every shadow. Until Thierry pulled her aside for a nice, long talk. She seemed to settle down after that, and Mare could have sworn she'd heard Rashel whisper to Keller across the dinner table later that night, 'Phase two is off. You were right about him,' grudgingly.

Finally, it was time for the other girls to head back to the orphanage.

They exchanged hugs, and goodbyes, and the girls left.

The next afternoon, Ash stopped by. "Hey." He said.

"Hey," Mare replied.

"So… you've been distant."

"Yeah," Mare sighed.

"Why?" Ash settled in the chair next to hers.

"My real parents are dead. I have a brother. Claudia could have actually gotten away with it all, if things hadn't gone the way they did. Your pick."

"Oh." Ash said. Then, after a moment, "Well, we can start looking for your brother, if you want."

"Thierry's already started." Mare said.

"Oh." Ash nodded. "That's good."

"Yes, it is." Mare closed her eyes and sighed. Then she sniffed. She felt a tear run down her cheek.

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed, alarmed. "No need for that. Everything's alright!"

"Yeah," Mare said. "I know."

**Yeah, lousy end to the chapter, but couldn't figure out what else to say.**

**Now we just have the epilogue! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Epilogue**

6 years later:

Mary-Lynnette couldn't help it.

She certainly didn't want the butterflies in her stomach, she didn't want the big smile that spread across her face, she didn't want the shock that went through her when Ash Redfern touched her.

But she got all those things anyway.

She studied his face as he walked into her bedroom. It wasn't uncommon for Ash to visit her, though him being up this early in the morning was cause for concern. She tried to gauge what kind of a mood he was in, what kind of Ash she would be speaking with today.

That much hadn't changed. He was still the unpredictable sometimes-chauvinistic, sometimes-sweet jerk wad he'd been six years ago, the day she met him.

"Hey, Mare," He said, hesitating then sitting next to her on the bed.

_Sweet Ash it is, then._

"What's going on?" Mare asked. "It's six in the morning, and you're awake. Something is seriously amiss."

Ash smiled. "I couldn't sleep, I was up all night thinking… I just need to tell you something. I…" He trailed off, then started again. "I need you to promise, though, not to repeat to anyone what I'm about to tell you."

Mare frowned. "What did you do." That was the only explanation._ He did something criminal and needs someone to confide in. Did he kill someone? Rob a store?_ But she couldn't picture Ash doing either of those things.

"I didn't do anything," he huffed. "It's… it's just that I'm not allowed to tell you. It's sort of like a Redfern family secret."

"Oh," Mare perked up. "So…."

"Mary-Lynnette," Ash said. "This is serious. If you let it slip that I told you, we'll both be put to death."

"Put to death?" Mare let out a short laugh. Short because, while it was ridiculous, Ash was being disturbingly somber. Like he actually believed he would die if he was caught. "Don't you think you're exaggerating?"

Ash shook his head.

Mare frowned. "What kind of secret could warrant that kind of punishment?"

"You have to promise."

"Fine, I won't tell." Mare promised. "Now, what is it?"

"There are two rules that every Night World citizen must follow."…

**And we're done!**

**This is officially the first fanfiction story I've ever finished! Thank you so much for all your support and lovely reviews, it means so much to me. :D**


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